I happily except this debate. This will be my first debate on ddo, so I might not be very good. So sorry in advance about that. But I will try my best. I also do prefer dogs over cats, but I don't think one is better than the other so that's why I'm debating about that. Let the debating begin!

I pre-prepared this so that is why it was REALLY quick.
Thank you for accepting, and I wish you best of luck on your first debate on this website. Here we go!

(1)

Dogs are naturally loyal than cats, this is used mainly to help society, what animals do the blind use to guide them? DOGS. What is the animal that is used by firefighters? DOGS. Which animal helps owners deal with physical and mental disabilities? DOGS.

As a whole dogs improve the quality of lives of many people and society as a whole.Just ask yourself, how do cats improve society? Would they open doors for their disabled owner? Does a cat have any interest in guiding the deaf and blind? Simply put, no. Often humans naturally bond with these furry creatures, in fact there are studies why many animals especially dogs bond with humans.

" According to the social support theory, animals are a source of social support and companionship, which are necessary for well-being. In other words, as humans we need others to survive. Support is seen for the social support theory in the influence of a pet on an empty-nester family. In this view the animal is part of our community, and is important for psychological well-being. "{7}

Since this quote refers to domesticated animals in general, that quote can be used for cats as well, however from self-experience I can proudly say that cats are not as loyal as dogs, or friendly. My dog is very loving and whenever I go with him on off-leash walks, allowing him to enjoys some freedom, but he never goes far, staying by my heel not because he has to, but because he wants to, even if he does run off, he will only go to meet people and their dogs, and then he comes straight back. Since I see other dogs on my walks, I can say that my dog is not one-of-a kind. This proves that dogs are often friendly and loyal. But how does this make dogs better than cats? Simple. My aunt and uncle own a dog and a cat. The dog is very friendly and loves playing with anyone, including strangers, while the cat wants nothing to do with any human. Not only that, but there are a lot of homeless cats that my family takes care of, they don"t care about these people, all they think is that the humans are tools for food. No affection, not even a bit of friendliness.

"Unlike cats, who often show complete disregard for their owners until food is being taken down from a shelf, dogs will run up to you as you walk in the door because a few hours at work for you is an eternity without their best friend for them."{1}

(2)

Little kittens look cute until they defecate in your house. Yep. You heard me. Domesticated cat"s usually learn to go to what is called a Litter Box and do their business in a box in your HOUSE! Now, imagine how bad that would smell. Heck, owners have said "HELP! My cat litter box stinks so bad, my dad wants to get rid of my cat"- {2} Other disadvantages of some types of litter boxes? Here:

a) "Some cats may accidently "miss" the box, meaning you'll need to clean up around the area more frequently."- {3} Fun, eh? Seriously though, do you want this on your floor:

b) Dusty. "Smaller particles of litter creates large dust that is uncomfortable and unhealthy not only for cats, but to humans as well." {4}

c) "They can stick to cat"s feet. It becomes dangerous as cats are licking their claws often, so they may swallow small particles." {4}

d) The cost of litter boxes can get up to $200-300. The litter itself costs about $150 a year. But if you have a cat for, say, 14 years, that adds up to about $2100. That is a LOT of money. If the average american household makes $50,054 {5}. That means that around a year worth of JUST cat litter costing $150 in a average american household would take up around 1/200 of your income. That doesn"t sound like a lot, but $150 dollars can buy enough food for a family for around two weeks.

But on the other hand, when dogs "do their business" outdoors, where it is aired out, and won"t stink up the house. And before you say that other people"s dog"s poop might end up on your lawn, it won"t because people are required (by law). There is a law in many countries that is against littering. Littering is when you "make (a place) untidy with rubbish or a large number of objects left lying about." I am pretty sure people will be picking up their dog"s poop or else they can get fined for over a hundred dollars.

(3)

Remember point one? Well, this is a bit of a follow-up.

"Outdoor cats are the leading cause of death among both birds and mammals in the United States, according to a new study, killing 1.4 billion to 3.7 billion birds each year.The mammalian toll is even higher, concluded researchers from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ranging from 6.9 billion to 20.7 billion annually.
The analysis, published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications, suggests that feral and owned cats pose a far greater threat than previously thought. One study in 2011 estimated that cats in the United States kill roughly half a billion birds annually" {8}

So what is the big deal? It"s just 8-25 billion animal deaths per year in one country, right? Nope. Ever heard of an ecosystem? Or the food chain? These birds and mammals are not domesticated, these animals play crucial parts in the environment. Birds are bioindicators, agents of dispersal, and biological controllers. {9} Cats should control rat populations, not annihilate them!
.
"Cats pose the greatest danger to birds and mammals living on islands because there are fewer opportunities for these animals to escape. Cats are responsible for helping drive 33 species of birds, mammals and reptiles to extinction on islands, including the Stephens Island wren in New Zealand in the late 1800s, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature." {8}

This is unacceptable, sure, cats are hungry, but if this gets too out of control some very bad things could happen to our environment.

"By contrast, researchers estimate that the United States is home at least 15 billion adult land birds. Cats kill about 10 percent of them each year, according to the analysis." {8}

I'll admit, dogs are more loyal than cats, but cats aren't completely disloyal either. Some dog breeds aren't loyal at all. Some cat breeds are very loyal. It's not necessarily the species that is loyal or disloyal, more of the breed.

"The Siamese cat is often thought of as being one of the more high-maintenance cat breeds, and it is true that this exotic, vocal feline can be rather demanding! The Siamese cat views their human family as an extension of themselves, and likes nothing more than spending lots of time with their favourite people.

The Siamese cat will often bond strongly with one particular member of the household, and requires lots of attention and to be treated very much as one of the family. This Oriental breed is very chatty, having its own language of mewls and meows, and the alert owner may even come to learn to interpret a range of Siamese sounds into their cat"s exact meanings!"

From personal experience, I can say the Siamese is a loyal cat. I have two and they will follow me around the house and want nothing more than to be by my side. Sometimes, when I'm doing work, I have to lock them up to get them away from me!

"Siberian Huskies love people; all people. Adults, children, dog lovers, dog haters, the Husky is an equal opportunities attention seeker! They enjoy plenty of time spent with and affection shared with people, regardless who the people are; their long-term owner, or someone they have just met in the street! While there is a lot of good to be said about this level of personability and friendliness in the dog, it can also on occasion lead to the first time owner feeling that their dogs are a little disloyal and not too picky about their friends!

This same trait makes the Husky an ineffective guard dog, as they are generally perfectly welcoming to strangers, even strangers who enter their home uninvited!"

Again, from personal experience, I can say that the husky is not a loyal dog... at all. I owned one and he wouldn't follow me around the house, unlike my cats. He didn't like to listen to me and he would run away and I'd have to go get him. He wouldn't come back.

So saying dogs are more loyal then cats is a false statement. To say most dog breeds are more loyal then most cat breeds is more true. If you want a loyal companion, you could theoretically get either a certain dog or cat.

You don't have to put the litter box in the house. I put mine in the garage. You can also get cat litter that covers most of the smell. And don't tell me dog feces doesn't have a smell. Because it definitely does.

And you said the cost of litter boxes can GET UP TO $200-300.

At this website (http://www.petco.com...) you can get a cat litter pan for under $5. You don't need to spend two hundred dollars on an expensive one. If money is that much of an issue, just get a cheap one.

Sadly, cats do kill lots of birds. But they also kill lots of mice and rats that could potentially have dangerous diseases and illnesses. They could have bubonic plague, salmonella, murine typhus, leptospirosis, Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis, rat-bite fever, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and tapeworms. And I'm positive nobody wants those.

Just think. What if you were in your garage and you unknowingly inhaled mouse urine and droppings? What if those mouse droppings were infected with HPS or hantavirus? Hantavirus is usually fatal. You would most likely die. If you had a cat, the cat probably would've killed that mouse living in your garage and thus, stopped it from killing you.

I would like to thank you for your previous argument, however I do have to point out misconduct on your part, as in you refuted parts of my argument. The definition of refute I am using “to say or prove something is not true.” Which you did. I ask the voters to take this breach in conduct into consideration. {2}

(ARGUMENTS)

(1)

This argument may be outdated, but I believe that the information from this source could still be applied today.

“Fido (1941 – June 9, 1958) was an Italian street dog that came to public attention in 1943 because of his demonstration of unswerving loyalty to his dead master. Fido was written about in many Italian and international magazines and newspapers, appeared in newsreels throughout Italy, and was bestowed several honors, including a public statue erected in his honor.” {1}

This dog would follow a man named Carlo Soriani to the central square for every day for two years and would wait for him to come back home and he would greet him so joyously. However, the man became a victim of war, and in december of 1943, Soriani was killed due to allied bombing. Even though his owner had passed the dog still would go to the bus station and wait for his owner to come back from the bus every day until he died. While cats can be loyal, they would never display this kind of affection, they may wait for a few days, but after that they would move on and get something to eat by him/herself.

This argument may only be a continuation of my previous arguments, but I thought I should just put this out there.

(2)

It is healthy to have a dog. In fact, extremely healthy.

“For those who are keen to keep fit but low on motivation, a personal trainer is often the best option.

But the human version may not be the most effective.

Dog owners get more exercise walking their pet than someone with a gym membership, researchers have found.

On average they exercise the animal twice a day for 24 minutes each time - a total of five hours and 38 minutes a week, a study for the pet healthcare experts Bob Martin found.

On top of that, the average owner takes their dog out on three long walks each week, adding a further two hours and 33 minutes to the total.

Those without a dog spend an average of just one hour and 20 minutes a week exercising by going to the gym or heading out for a stroll or jog.

Worse still, almost half - 47 per cent - of non-pet owners admit they do absolutely no exercise whatsoever.

A spokesman for Bob Martin said: 'A couple of short walks a day soon adds up and this research shows that it amounts to more time than people spend in the gym.'

The study of 5,000 Britons, including 3,000 dog owners, revealed that 57 per cent see walking the dog as their main form of exercise.

More than three quarters say they would rather take their pooch for a hike than go to the gym.” {3}

So seriously, stop lacing up the gym shoes and start getting a dog. But what does actually getting good fitness do to?

“Regular walking, like most aerobic activities, is good for you because cardio-vascular exercise strengthens the heart and lungs, increasing overall fitness.

Together with diet and other exercise plans, it can also help with weight loss and tone up muscles.

Dr Craig Williams a sports science lecturer at the University of Exeter is a firm believer in the benefits of walking, and says: 'It can improve muscle endurance as well as muscle strength, especially in the lower body.

'It is good for bones and improves the body's cardiovascular system. It also helps boost circulation.

'Power-walking - keeping a brisk pace at moderate to high intensity - can burn the same amount of calories as jogging or running. So it is useful for helping with weight loss.'

And, he adds: 'Because it is low impact, it does not have the same potential for injury as jogging. Yet it can offer all the benefits.'

Marcus Davis, an osteopath with the Harley Street Back Centre in London, agrees. He says: 'Walking helps to drain the lower legs of excess fluid and can help prevent varicose veins through the pumping action of the calf muscles.

'The increased supply of oxygen exercise promotes also gets rid of the waste products in the tissues.

'And because more people are able to walk at a consistent speed than run, it is a more beneficial form of tissue-cleansing, particularly for the over-50s, for whom jogging can actually cause more problems.'

'Walking is also better for the spine than running, as it puts less stress on the discs. Yet we were designed for constant movement, not sitting in cars or in front of computers, which causes negative pressures on our spinal cord.

'Regular walking is excellent for spinal discs, which receive minerals and vitamins through the pumping action it causes.

'And the best thing is that you can see results from walking reasonably quickly - although it depends on each person's individual level of fitness, age and how often and fast they are walking.'” {6}

Now, it’s not like cat’s go on walks anyways. They go the washroom INSIDE THE HOUSE! And they don’t get much exercise.

(3)

Imagine this: It is 3 AM and you, you spouse and two little kids are asleep, when all of a sudden you hear a CRASH! Three strange men are lurking throughout your home, taking all valuables in sight. Who do you want to protect your home, your family and you? A great big bullmastiff? {4} The best guard dog there is, or a tabby cat? because there is no cat that is the “best guard cat.” {5} Let me answer that, the Bullmastiff!

“Bullmastiff– This breed is known for its physical strength, protection instincts, courageousness, and extreme family loyalty. If an intruder crosses its path, a Bullmastiff will typically use its strength to knock them over or block their path. The breed is very docile in a family environment, however, and makes a great household pet.” {5}

Perhaps, you do not like Bullmastiffs, so maybe you would like a German Shepard?

“German Shepherd– German Shepherds are bold, confident, and fearless. They are extremely intelligent and quick to learn commands, thus making them a favorite police dog breed. German Shepherds have a calm demeanor when in a household but can quickly react when their family or home is threatened”

My whole point is that dogs in general can both protect your family from intruders and be warm and cuddly, they are much better at keeping you safe. Now, in many places guard dogs are less necessary however in crime ridden cities like Detroit, Chicago, Kabul, and Caracas a guard dog(s) would be extremely useful, but what if you get a 2 inch kitty? Not so safe now is it?

(CONCLSUION)

I look forward to the next round and your arguments. Remember, next round is rebuttals only. Thanks!

When guests come over to my house, I have to lock my dog up because my guests don't like my dog. He's hyper, energetic and loves to play, so he comes out a little mean at times. On the other hand, my cats are usually the ones bombarded by kids, because they are very laid back and love attention. But they stay out of the way when unwanted.

Dogs also jump up and lick people, which is not liked by some people.

2. Cats smell better.

It's just a fact. Dog odor seems to stay, even after a bath or two.

3. Cats aren't loud.

Dogs bark, growl, and it's really loud too. The loudest cat meow was 67.7 decibels loud. [1] The loudest dog bark was 113.1 decibels. [2] That's almost twice as loud! Dogs barking is annoying, especially in town. I don't think anybody's going to have a hard time sleeping because of a cat meowing, but I can see someone having trouble falling asleep because of a dog's bark.

Looking forward to the next round. Again, sorry about the rebuttal already.

I understand you are new to DDO (By the way, welcome!), but the conduct has been breached. Anyways, it is time for rebuttals.

(REBUTTALS)

“So saying dogs are more loyal than cats is a false statement. To say most dog breeds are more loyal than most cat breeds is more true. If you want a loyal companion, you could theoretically get either a certain dog or cat.”

Yes, that is true, however, more dogs are more loyal than cats. Why? simple.

“You walk in the door after a business trip and your dog bowls you over and covers you with ‘kisses’. Your cat on the other hand is in the living room rubbing on the couch, to make it quite clear that you are easily replaceable by a mere stick of furniture. Why the difference in affection when both pets ultimately crave our attention?

Small cats are born to be independent in the wild for survival, they migrate alone so each species has a better chance to spread. Being migratory animals, smaller breeds of wild cats hunt alone at night when they are less apt to become the prey.”{1}

Dogs are born with a “pack mentality”{1} As in the family is the pack and you need to be loyal to the pack, that is why dogs are usually more loyal than cats, and as proven in the previous argument where I discussed Fido the dog. I do understand that cats have the potential to be just as if not more loyal than dogs, however it is far more likely that you will have a loyal dog than a loyal cat.

“You don't have to put the litter box in the house. I put mine in the garage.”

So?

a) Most people put their litter boxes in their homes, not their garages.

b) Even if you have your kitty litter inside your garage, cats step into their feces and spread their fecal matter all over your house.

c) I have never, ever seen this smell-covering kitty litter in my life.

d) Cheap pans break and leak, meaning that you have buy more pans then you do with an expensive one, which means the costs add up.

“Sadly, cats do kill lots of birds. But they also kill lots of mice and rats that could potentially have dangerous diseases and illnesses. They could have bubonic plague, salmonella, murine typhus, leptospirosis, Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis, rat-bite fever, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and tapeworms. And I'm positive nobody wants those.”

That is a fine point, but you can always hire an exterminator, which is much more efficient than having a cat do you work, besides, no one gets a cat just so the cat can kill mice.

“When guests come over to my house, I have to lock my dog up because my guests don't like my dog. He's hyper, energetic and loves to play, so he comes out a little mean at times. On the other hand, my cats are usually the ones bombarded by kids, because they are very laid back and love attention. But they stay out of the way when unwanted.

Dogs also jump up and lick people, which is not liked by some people.”

So because your two cats handle guests better than your dog it means that cats in general are better with house guests? Well, since two cats and a dog are all it takes to decide which is better than let me give an example of two cats and a dog and how they deal with guests. a friend of mine had a dog and two cats, the dog was laid back, yet the two cats were unfriendly and did not like me and the other guest. I could give another example, but I have proven my point. Yes, your cats deal with guests better than your dog does, but my friend’s dog dealt with guests better than her cats did.

“Cats smell better.

It's just a fact. Dog odor seems to stay, even after a bath or two.”

You get used to it, besides cats also smell and so do their litter boxes. And yes, you probably would a;so get used to cat odors as well, however, that does not take away anything from my point.

“Cats aren't loud.

Dogs bark, growl, and it's really loud too. The loudest cat meow was 67.7 decibels loud. [1] The loudest dog bark was 113.1 decibels. [2] That's almost twice as loud! Dogs barking is annoying, especially in town. I don't think anybody's going to have a hard time sleeping because of a cat meowing, but I can see someone having trouble falling asleep because of a dog's bark.”

How is that a bad thing? what if you were getting robbed? You know what one of the number one ways to prevent burglary is? A barking dog.

“Having a dog should almost go without saying…that they are a very good burglar deterrent and home-security protection. The bark of a BIG dog may sound threatening, but even the yip of a smaller dog will bring quick attention to the situation and likely stop a burglar break-in because the typical burglar will move on to easier opportunities instead.”

You see? Perhaps having a noisy dog is a good thing!

(CONCLUSION)

I think my work here is done.

WHY I HAVE ONE

-I made better arguments.

-I refuted all of her points.

-She broke conduct.

-While her grammar was still good, mine was better.

-We provided more sources than her.

I have to thank con for a wonderful debate, I wish her the best of luck on future debates, and I hope we debate again!

Just the saying "dogs are better than cats" is a opinion. Dogs are in no physical way "better" than cats. They may be more preferred over cats, but not "better." I don't know if that counts as an argument, but I would like to point that out.

I would also like to add that not everyone has indoor cats. My cats are forbidden in the house except on extreme occasions. Where I live, almost everyone has barn cats, or outdoor cats. In my experience, indoor cats aren't as nice and are more lazy and self-centered than outdoor cats. Others I know agree with me. Only 50% of cats in the U.S. are indoor cats. [1] So half of us don't have to worry about fecal matter in the house.

Hiring an exterminator means your whole house either gets sprayed with some type of deadly chemical or they have to almost turn your house upside down to find all the mice. Getting a cat is cheaper and easier, and you get a pal too.

"Meet Eleanor Turgeon, 92, a World War II veteran who served as a lieutenant in the US Army on a hospital ship in the South Pacific. After the war, she continued her career as a nurse, until she retired in 1993. Her grandson Jeff, 37, said "She is an amazing woman who has lived a remarkable life. She has certainly left her mark on me and the rest of our family."

Eleanor is currently resting very comfortably under hospice care in her home. And according to Jeff, there"s a four-legged critter that never leaves Eleanor"s side. Quietly watching over her, giving her kisses, a little meow as if telling her everything will be alright, and touch of a gentle paw to give her comfort. He"s Elanor"s 12-year-old cat and best friend named Mr. Jingles.

Their amazing friendship started when Eleanor decided to open her home and welcomed Mr. Jingles whom she adopted from an animal shelter.

Since then, it seems that Mr. Jingles felt grateful and repays his owner"s loving gesture with his loyalty and friendship.

He"s been with Eleanor for 11 years now and obviously, he adores her.

According to Jeff, Mr. Jingles helps her through every painful day and really is an amazing emotional therapy for her." [2]

"A loyal cat has been bringing his owner small gifts everyday in a show of affection. The catch? The cat's owner has been dead for over a year.

Meet Toldo -- a cute, 3-year-old black and white cat living in Montagnana, northern Italy. According to the Corriere Fiorentino, Toldo has been visiting his owner -- Iozzelli Renzo, who died on September 22, 2011, aged 71 -- every day for the past year and leaving small presents at the grave.

The gifts usually consist of leaves, sticks, twigs, plastic cups or paper towels.

"Even today I went to the cemetery with Toldo. On the way back, someone I know told me the cat has already been there early this morning," Renzo's widow, Ada, told the Corriere Fiorentino.

Neighbors have also seen Toldo wandering around the cemetery through the day.

It all started the day of the funeral, when the cat followed the coffin from the house to the cemetery.

The next morning, Ada went to the grave again. "We went to the cemetery with my daughter and found a sprig of acacia on the grave. I immediately thought that it was the cat, but my daughter was convinced that I was just in a very emotional state at that moment," she told the news source.

That night, however, Renzo's son returned to the cemetery and found Toldo standing guard at the grave, reported Dreuz.info.

Ada says that her late husband shared a particularly strong bond with Toldo -- He'd adopted the feline from a cat colony when he was just 3 months old.

Unfortunately, not everyone believes in the sanctity of the relationship between Toldo and his owner. Ada told La Nazione that people often try to shoo the cat away.

"There are insensitive people who send him away with stones or other things, convinced that the presence of an animal in the cemetery is almost a desecration," she told the news source.

"My husband was very affectionate with him. Renzo loved animals. It's almost as if Toldo would be grateful. He is a special cat, one can not help liking him, " Ada said." [3]

A loyal dog story isn't exactly evidence because there are loyal cat stories out there as well.

And then I'll add my rebuttal above that was not allowed (again, sorry!).

Conclusion

I don't think I've won, but I'm not going to give up either. Congratulations in advance if you did win! In my defense, it was hard to debate on a topic when you are on the side you are debating against. But I'm not one to make excuses. I just wanted to try it out again, since I've done it a couple times before (not on this website).

I would like to point out that I did state that "dogs are better than cats" is an opinion, not a fact. It is only a more common opinion.

Thank you for debating with me too! I would be delighted to debate you again in the future.

I would like to accept this debate. I would bring a blend of troll and intelligent arguments as of why cats are superior than dogs. I understand if you wish to debate a more experienced member, but I would like to put my name out there.